Wednesday, September 21, 2011

One of These Days

It was one of these days when everything ran smoothly and one's left with a sense of satisfaction and inner joy. School went well with students asking me for support and for me that is one of the highlights of being a teacher… it is feeling that I am of use to students... that I can offer some advice and guidance to students and they are well received. It felt good and I was in high spirits.

The night before, I received a call from my cousin, who just got married in Jerusalem. She was in Thailand on her honeymoon and wondered if we could hook up. I checked on the Internet where the hotel she was staying at was and found that it was just too confusing for me… I decided to take a taxi instead of risk taking the Sky Train and going in the wrong direction. I got to the main road and asked two taxi drivers if they could take me to my desired destination. Both of them refused pointing to their watches and the gridlocked traffic ahead of them.

Realizing that it would take me hours to get to the hotel, I decided to call them and ask for a different route. The person at the reception recommended I took the sky train and so I made my way to Asok fearing the acid-man attacker. You see, that day, teachers at school received news of three cases at a hospital having had their face sprayed with acid at the Asok train station and that was exactly where I was heading.

Anyway, nothing happened of course and I got on the train to begin the first part of my trip. I had to change two trains before I had to make a decision of either taking a taxi to the hotel or jump on a river boat for the last leg of my journey. I decided with the later as it would provide more excitement and a better view. As I was waiting for the boat, I saw other boats with huge signs on them indicating which hotel they were for. After around 15 minutes a boat docked at our little metal pier but the hotel sign on it was so small that we could have missed it. I ran back to warn the unaware people waiting at the upper deck. The wooden boat was beautiful and had a roof that looked like the roof of a house with brown tiles. Despite the murky color of the waters it did not by any means cloud the beautiful man-made vista that surrounded me.

I disembarked at the hotel’s small pier and made my way inside towards the reception. On the way I realized that this was the same hotel where I had the interview which paved the way for me to have the job at my current school. Memories flooded my mind and I found myself going through the 3- day job fair event that took place there in January when the ring tone of my mobile phone brought me back to the present.

I answered the phone and it was my cousin asking me if I was still making it to the hotel that day. At the same time, I was walking towards the reception and saw her standing there with her back to me. I decided to continue talking to and walking towards her. I stood beside her resting my arm on the reception desk. After a few seconds she turned around and was startled to find me right there. It was a warm reunion with loads of hugging and laughing.

It was a good night … a good day. I do not usually have good days from start to finish but I am finding that those kinds of days help me appreciate them even more because they are rare.

Your story reminds me of a time many years ago (before cell phones) when two friends collaborated. My girlfriend was coming to visit me in NH from Virginia, but it was going to be a surprise to me and she asked my friend Tom to pick her up at the bus station. Tom called my friend Nora to have her call me to ask me to go pick her (Nora) up at the same bus station. So of course my girlfriend and I were both surprised.

I don't remember anything else about that day, but it was one of those very good days.

What a wonderful feeling carried you off to dreamland at the end of your day. When I was teaching at home at our kibbutz school, that was my best satisfaction - the students and our connections. So I can feel how that is for you. Travelling in Tailand seems to be an extraordinary adventure. I'm completely ignorant about how Thailand is geographically, so I will have to look that up. Was your cousin very far from where you live? Like travelling to another state? A Sky Train, acid attacker, and river boats, and hotels with piers. I really have to educate myself about Thailand. I'm sure it was nice to spend the evening with family. Sometimes I have a day that might resemble your perfect day. I glad that you shared your day and now Thailand is on my list of travels. Saving those little coins. Do you have alot of family in Jerusalem or nearby?

oh wow,... wonderful comments... thank you for taking the time to read and blog and comment... it is definitely a very good day when I read comments from friends... Dear Paula... you must come to Thailand... my home is your home... and I can take you around...you only have to worry about your ticket.... this goes for everyone of course... Bangkok is such a HUGE city that to go from one end to another takes from an hour to two hours... that is why it is smart to use different transportation systems to get to one's destination the fastest.... One of my cousins and I took 6 modes of transportation to and from a market in Bangkok.... should write a post about that.... might give you a better picture of the traveling experiences in Bangkok. :)

I have a few family left in Jerusalem Paula... my cousin just got married and that was why I could see her... usually it is just in Amman that I am able to... there are some family members in Ramallah as well... but it is so sad that I do not get to see them often.... I feel life nowadays takes you away... you follow the places your career takes you and end up in God knows which country...

Peter... that must have been such an amazing day from the sounds of it... started on a positive note and ended that way....

Dear Jan... I love your honesty... believe me I have those days when everything is perfect but one thing ticks me off and that is it... for the rest of the day... hard to get back on that happiness saddle...

Birdie...you are such a positive fun-filled person... love it when you comment.

Yup. even on my (as Jan put it) grumpy days, when I'm more centred in myself, I have to admit that I'm blessed with many many good days. I also notice that if I'm having a grumpy kind of day, if I consciously - I mean really apply my mind - I can usually shift the day from a grumpy day to a tolerable, if not good, day.

And, to add to your good day, I've nominated you for The Versatile Blogger award over at my blog!

Oh Thanks so much Judy... it is the second Versatile award I receive which means that I must write something about it...When I find the time to do so I love going to Lulu, Jamilia and Zahra's world... I am more than halfway through... Will visit your blog... thanks again for the honor!

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About Me

Hi, my name is Lana. I was brought up in Jordan which borders both of my parents' countries (Palestine and Iraq). All three countries enriched my life with tradition, culture, values and history.
I am finding writing a kind of therapy... self-therapy....
And I have two favorite sayings:
1. Religion is how you treat people... and
2. Failure is a stepping stone to success.